Shalimar is one of three-plus Indian restaurants in downtown Ann Arbor, and its food is consistently delicious. If you go during Ann Arbor’s Restaurant Week (currently occurring until January 17th, and then again in June yearly), it features a prix fixe menu where you can get three courses for lunch or dinner. Shalimar’s naan is delicious, as are its chicken dishes, and it also offers lamb and vegetarian dishes. Parking is available nearby on the street or in parking structures.

Royal Sweets has a Farmington Hills location as well as a Troy branch, and it offers a buffet that is perfect for vegetarians (and of course friends of vegetarians too). The buffet is served all day, for either lunch or dinner, and a beverage is included with the price. Try the mango lassi, the dosa and the sweets for dessert. The restaurant is located on Orchard Lake Road between 12 and 13 Mile (closer to 13 Mile).

Ashoka is located on Rochester Road in a strip mall, and can be easy to overlook if you’re driving. However, it definitely shouldn’t be overlooked, as it has some of the best Indian food in the area. It offers a lunch buffet during both the work week and the weekends, and fresh tandoori chicken and naan is brought to your table too. Try the butter chicken and chicken tikka masala as well as the Indian “street food” for dessert; it has more traditional desserts on the buffet as well. Parking is available on the premises.

Aladdin Sweets & Cafe offers a $7.99 lunch buffet every day and it’s the “first Bangladeshi restaurant” to be located in Hamtramck. The restaurant opened in 1998 and has always had a reasonably priced buffet and entrees. Because of this, don’t expect anything fancy (the food is often served on styrofoam plates), but do expect a delicious meal. Try the snack rolls, samosas or mushroom vegetable fritters to start, and then some chicken tikka or korma – also available in goat korma. Of course, don’t forget dessert, either. Aladdin has various Bengali sweets and it also offers a sweetened tea.

Moti Mahal411 S. Washington Ave.
Royal Oak, MI 48067
(248) 298-3198www.motimahalroyaloak.comMoti Mahal has a weekday lunch buffet for $7.95, including 18 menu items, or you can order off of the regular menu. It’s located in downtown Royal Oak and metered parking and parking structures can be found nearby. Yelp or Groupon usually has a “pay $10 get $20 meal” which is a great deal, but be aware that it’s not valid on the buffet. Try the chicken korma, butter chicken and the naan, which is fresh and delicious, and the paneer and korma are great as well. The gulab jamun (a cheese-based dumpling, soaked in a sugar syrup) is ideal for dessert, and Moti Mahal offers that as well as spiced tea and masala chai if you’re craving a hot beverage instead.